KENINGAU: The Fatani Silat Olahraga Club here were crowned the overall champion of the recent Labuan International Beach Silat Championship 2026, marking another major milestone for the local martial arts group.
To celebrate the historic victory, which has brought immense honour to both the district and the country, a special celebratory event was hosted at the Kampung Lambanga Apin-Apin Reserve.
The gathering brought together club members, local martial arts masters and community leaders to recognise the athletes’ dedication.
Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Liawan Division Chief Azman Ruslan, who is also Chairman of Sabah Net, who attended as the guest of honour to personally congratulate the team, presented certificates of appreciation to the victorious athletes and club members who excelled at the Labuan tournament and other recent competitions.
In his address, Azman praised the club’s stellar track record of consecutive successes, noting that this international victory follows their championship win at the Apin-Apin Silat Competition 2025 and a strong third-place finish at the Labuan International Beach Silat Championship 2025.
“I hope this remarkable success serves as a catalyst to inspire our younger generation to actively pursue sports and martial arts, ensuring we preserve and inherit our rich cultural heritage,” he said.
Also present were the club’s masters, including Pani Danggan @ Firdaus Asmat, Joupi Kembara, Samir Salleh and Hajirin Mansor, showcasing the heritage art form to the invited guests.
Azman was joined by Gagasan Rakyat Liawan Division Deputy Chief Upilin @ Abdul Samad Abdul Rahman, Vice Chief Sahanip Jamil as well as Gagasan Rakyat Bingkor youth and committee representatives Nor Elyani Abdullah, Larson, Aladine Lugiman, Junaidah Jaikul @ Mohd Nazry, Elegius Raimon and Yuhimin Kasiman.
